Phone: 0435 482 579
e-mail: prueven@gmail.com
The procedures and intelligence of making hold my attention.
I delight in the relationships that spring and develop between objects as they stand together like elements of musical harmony. From the shadows that form between them to the implied movements across spaces, they dance.
An exploration of technical invention with origins in both studio and industrial spheres has resulted in handles fired separately, suspended, to be joined later. Such components extend formal and material possibilities and enliven my understanding of the porcelain I thought I knew so well. Objects now emerge, to challenge and enable fresh rhythms, different energies and spatial interactions. A final deceptive simplicity emerges.
“This work so artfully combines stillness and a sense of risk, of fragility. Sometimes it is a single object – a pierced ladle with a precariously long stem, perhaps, or a scoop with an elegant, daring, ribbon-like handle, that surprises and then calms, Then there are those seemingly arbitrary couplings or slightly perverse groupings that quietly and insistently demand a shift in our perception. Indeed they all were once, in the making process, exceedingly fragile; needing, before and during both bisque and high temperature reduction firing, to be propped up or supported upside down and fired on porcelain trays or setters: carefully, patiently, slowly, surely, crafted. But now, strong, dense, confident, beautiful – to be used, to be held.
I hope you see these pots when the sun is out. They quicken with light, The pale objects are softly luminous and translucent, while the dark aubergines and blacks glow satiny rich, their rims reflecting.”
Gwyn Hanssen Pigott, 2005
Education:
1995: MA, Fine Art – Ceramics, RMIT University, Melbourne
1988: Acset 1 – Teacher Training, London.
1981-1983: Harrow Diploma of Studio Pottery, Harrow College of Art, London. Distinction.
1971-1974: BSc (Hons) Zoology, Melbourne University.
Professional Studio Practice:
2014 – present Studio in Castlemaine, Australia
1989 – 2014 Studio in Melbourne
1985-1989 Gallery assistant, Contemporary Applied Arts, London
1986-1989 Studio in Stoke Newington, London.
1983-1986 Studio in Kings Cross, London
Selected books and digital publications:
The Pot Book, Edmund deWaal
The Harrow Connection;
Slips and Slipware, Anthony Phillips (Batsford) – featured artist;
Contemporary Porcelain, Peter Lane (Craftsman House).
Masters of Their Craft, Norris Ioannou (Craftsman House).
Design Sourcebook – Ceramics, Edmund de Waal (New Holland)
Functional Pottery Robin Hopper (Krause Pub.)
Shards Garth Clark on Ceramic Art
The Masters Porcelain
Video to accompany Freestyle exhibition
Freestyle book
Smartworks book
Awards:
2019
Finalist, Korean International Ceramic Biennale 2019
2018
Selected as Australian Design Centre “9th Living Treasure – Master of Australian Craft”
Australia Council Development Grant for ADC Touring Exhibition
2017
Finalist Officine Saffi, Milan, Italy
Finalist and Judges Commendation, STILL, Australian Still Life Award, Coffs Harbour
2016 Australia Council Development Grant
Asialink residency, The Pottery Workshop, Jingdezhen
2015 First Prize, Clunes Ceramic Award
Purchase Award, Manningham Ceramics Competition
Finalist, Victorian Craft Award, Melbourne
2014 Six month residency at Dunmoochin, Melbourne
Finalist, Officine Saffi Project , Open to Art, Milan, Italy
2012 Arts SA Residency award Jingdezhen, China
2011 Australia Council Skills and Arts Development Grant
2009 Arts Victoria grant to attend exhibitions in Taiwan and Denmark
2008 Australia Council Grant New Work
2007 Honourable Mention WOCEF, Korea
Elected member, International Academy of Ceramics
President Craft Victoria
2006 Fellow Royal Society of Arts, UK
2004 One month residency at Oribe Design Centre, Gifu, Japan to design a dinner set for production by Yamai China Co. and Yamama China Co.
Grant from Object to act as mentor to Robyn Seale
- Australia Council Grant Development
Third Prize, Jan Ken Pon, World Design Competition, New York and Japan
2002 Arts Victoria- Grant to attend exhibition at Nancy Margolis Gallery, New York
Craft Victoria- Grant to attend exhibition at Nancy Margolis Gallery, New York
Honourable Mention – International Ceramics Competition, Mino, Japan.
2001 Hermanns Art Award – Second Prize
Australia Council Project Grant – New Work
Australia Council funding to attend Ceramics Millenium Conference in Amsterdam
1997 Alice Craft Acquisition Award
Townsville Ceramics Acquisition
1996 Australia Council – Project Grant
Arts Victoria Grant – Arts 21 International Export and Touring Program
1995: Bathurst Art Purchase Award.
Fletcher Challenge Ceramics Award – Premier Award.
Nillumbik Art Award
Honourable Mention – International Ceramics Competition, Mino, Japan.
15th National Craft Award, Northern Territory.
James Cook University Ceramics Award.
1994: Second Prize – Austceram Ceramic Art Award, Sydney.
Australia Council – Project Grant
1992: Two Honourable Mentions – International Ceramics Competition, Mino, Japan.
1989: First Prize – Cup competition – Arts and Crafts Society of Victoria.
1988: Crafts Council, UK – Photography Grant
1986: Product of the Show -Direct Design Show, London
1984-1985: Crafts Council, UK – Grant to set up Pottery Studio and
Maintenance Allowance for one year.
1981-1983: Professional Classes Aid Council Grant;
Windsor and Newton Art Prize
Selected Collections:
Museum of Fine Art, Houston, Texas
Art Gallery of Western Australia
Art Gallery of South Australia
Fuping Museum, China
Ballarat Fine Art Gallery
Bendigo Art Gallery
Castlemaine Fine Art Gallery
Newcastle Art Gallery
Hermanns Art Award Collection
Bathurst Art Gallery
Deakin University
Fletcher Challenge Collection
Nillumbik Shire Council
R.M.I.T. University
Shepparton Art Gallery
Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery
Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory
Powerhouse Museum, Sydney
James Cook University
Hamilton Art Gallery
National Gallery of Australia, Canberra
Queensland Art Gallery
Queensland University of Technology
Craft Council of the Northern Territory, Alice Springs Division
Perc Tucker Regional Gallery
University of Southern Queensland
National Gallery of Victoria
National Museum, Auckland, New Zealand
Plus many private collections in Australia, New Zealand, Europe, UK, USA, Canada, Japan.
Selected Solo Exhibitions:
2013 Beaver Galleries, ACT
Jam Factory Contemporary Craft and design, SA
Special feature display, NGV Australia
2010 Moss Green Gallery, Melbourne
2007 Rex Irwin Fine Art, Sydney
2006 Christine Abrahams Gallery
2005 Rex Irwin Fine Art, Sydney
Galerie Besson, London
2003 Christine Abrahams Gallery, Melbourne
2002 Nancy Margolis Gallery, New York
2001 Oxford Gallery, UK
Christine Abrahams Gallery
1999 Christine Abrahams Gallery, Melbourne
Nancy Margolis Gallery, New York
Beaver Galleries, Canberra
Purple Space – Jam Factory, Adelaide
1998 Masterworks Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand.
Alpha House Gallery, Dorset, UK.
1997 Christine Abrahams Gallery, Melbourne.
1996 Studio COM. Tachikichi Corporation, Kyoto, Japan.
Beaver Galleries, Canberra.
1995 Craft Victoria.
1993: Jam Factory Gallery, Adelaide.
1984 – 1989 Nottingham Castle Museum, Nottingham.
Oriel 31 Gallery, Newtown, Powys.
Distelfink Gallery, Melbourne.
Selected Group Exhibitions and Galleries:
2018
Porcelain exhibition with Richard Spoehr at Stella Downer Fine Art, Sydney
2017
100 cups, National Museum of Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China
STILL, Australian Still Life Award, Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery
Officine Saffi, Milan, Italy
Beaver Galleries, Canberra
Skepsi Gallery, Montsalvat
2016 National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, ‘Dark Forms’
2015 Marsden Woo Gallery, London
Clunes Award Exhibition
Rathdowne Galleries, Melbourne
Welcome to Table, Castlemaine Festival
Of National Significance, Sturt Craft Centre, Mittagong NSW
The Useful Set, Stephen McLachlan Gallery, Melbourne
Beaver Galleries, Canberra
Manningham Ceramics Competition
Victorian Craft Award
Olsen Irwin Gallery, Sydney
2014 Melbourne Now, NGV
Moss Green, Melbourne Important Exhibiton of Australian Ceramics
Finalist, Officine Saffi Project , Open to Art, Milan, Italy
The Course of Objects, TACA, Manly Gallery, Sydney
‘Dometic Bliss’ – Deakin University
‘Quiet Conversations’ Skepsi – Montsalvat
2013 Thrown, NGV Australia
On the Table: Still lives, Olsen Irwin, Sydney
Melbourne Now, NGV
Skepsi Gallery, Melbourne
White Heat – Porcelain Jewellery, Sydney
Porcelain, a measure of the material, Devon Guild, UK
BMG Art, Christmas Exhibition, SA
Jam Factory 40th anniversary touring exhibition
2012 Emerging Form Exemplary Australian Ceramics- Skepsi Gallery, Melbourne; BMG art, Adelaide
Tradition and Innovation, 50 years of Harrow, Contemporary Applied Arts, London
Then and Now, Whitehorse Arts Space, Melbourne
2011 Finalist, Alcorso 2011 Ceramics Competition, Hobart.
International featured artist, Contemporary Applied Arts, London
Salt Port Festival, Adelaide
BMG Gallery Adelaide
Black and White Rex Irwin, Sydney
Museum of Fine Art, Houston,USA
Mint Museum, North Carolina, USA
2010 Ting til Faeles, Ann Linnemann studio gallery, Copenhagen
Korero and Hui Hua Taiwan Ceramics Biennale, Yingge Ceramics Museum, Taiwan
Teawares, Jam Factory Gallery, Adelaide
The Collectors, Kjai Lieu, Adelaide
2009 Pots for Light, Galerie Besson, London
Sustain Me: Contemporary Design, Ivan Dougherty Gallery, COFA NSW.
Jingdezhen International Ceramic fair, China
Tablewares an international Collection, Rex Irwin Art Dealer (curated by Prue Venables and Gwyn Hanssen Pigott)
2008 Important drawings, prints and ceramics, Rex Irwin Art Dealer
Freestyle, Triennale di Milano, Italy
IAC Members, Fuping Museum, China
NGV Permanent collection
Porcelain, Jam Factory, Adelaide
Porcelain in contemporary Discourse, Shanghai, China
Gift of Rod Fyffe, Bendigo Art Gallery
- Finalist, 4th World Ceramic Biennale 2007, Korea
Freestyle, Object, Sydney; Brisbane; Adelaide
Artistic Insights, Celebrating centenary of tertiary art education in Bal larat.
Judaica, Jewish Museum, Melbourne
The Cup Show, All Hand Made, Sydney
The Jug Show, All Hand Made, Sydney
Smartworks, Design and the Handmade, Powerhouse Museum, Sydney
- Collect, Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Freestyle, Melbourne Museum
Madonna del Rosario, Wollongong Art Gallery
Classic and Contemporary Ceramics, Galerie Besson, London
30th Anniversary Exhibition Rex Irwin Fine Art, Sydney
SOFA Chicago, with Galerie Besson
2005 Table Manners Contemporary International Ceramics Crafts Council, London
Beaver Galleries – Three makers in Porcelain
Small is Beautiful Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh
Hobart Art Prize
100 Ringe – an exhibition of cast silver rings Craft Victoria
Ceramics 2005, Freeman Gallery, Hobart
2004 践eresy: the secret language of materials Craft Victoria
Still Life, Anna Bibby Gallery, Auckland, NZ
FG3 Hobart, Tasmania
Still life still lives Rex Irwin Art Dealer, Sydney
Tactile Art Object Gallery, Sydney
Jan Ken Pon World Design Competition, Gifu City, Japan
- Future Function, Manly Art Gallery, Sydney
World Ceramic Exhibition, Steninge Slott Castle, Sweden
‘Important Works on Paper and Important Ceramics Rex Irwin Fine Art, Sydney
Jan Ken Pon World Design Competition, New York
Reunion, the art of sixteen graduates, Melbourne University, George Paton Gallery
2002 Ritual of Tea Jam Factory, Adelaide; Object Gallery, Sydney
Less is More Ceramics with a minimal aestheticPewabic Pottery, Detroit, USA
Brisbane City Gallery – ‘Less is More, Less is a Bore’
Beaver Galleries, Canberra
SOFA, Chicago
SOFA, New York
Rex Irwin Fine Art, Sydney
2001 Sotheby’s, London Contemporary Decorative Arts Selling Exhibition
Contemporary Applied Arts, London – featured international artist
Barrett Marsden Gallery, London
Hermanns Award, Sherman Galleries, Sydney
International Ceramics Exhibition, Alpha House Gallery, Dorset, UK
Colonial to Contemporary, Powerhouse Museum, Sydney
Freeman Gallery, Hobart
International Infusion III, Sybaris Gallery, Michigan, USA
International 20th Century Arts Fair, New York
‘International Ceramics Selection’ – Steninge Slott Kulturcenter, Sweden
Sybaris Gallery, Michigan, USA International Infusion’
Australian Ceramicists at the Gallery Marianne Heller, Heidelberg, Germany
Sturt Galleries, NSW;
Queensland Potters
Australian contemporary Art Fair Melbourne
19th National Craft Acquisition Award – Northern Territory
Palm Beach International Art Fair
Art Palm Beach 20th Century Fine Art Fair
2000 The International Asian Art Fair, New York
20th Century at Olympia, London
Grosvenor House Art and Antiques Fair, London
The International Fine Art Show, New York
Australian Ceramics – Hong Kong Arts Centre
Beverly Hills International Art Fair
1999 Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art, Japan
25th Alice Craft Acquisition, Northern Territory
Materiality – Spare Room, RMIT University
SOFA – New York
International Porcelain, Strasbourg, France
Artistic Australia – Grand Hyatt Hotel, Tsukamoto and Etoh stores, Fukuoka;Mitsukoshi, Tokyo;Kadoya, Nishio; Anshindo store, Shizuoka; Japan
Hobart Art Prize
Barret Marsden Gallery, London
1998: Aurora -Vietnam.
Triennale de la Porcelaine Nyon – Suisse
Fletcher Challenge Ceramics Award, Auckland, New Zealand.
Aurora – RMIT Gallery, Melbourne
RMIT Staff exhibition – Hong Kong Arts Centre
SOFA – Chicago – Beaver Galleries
ACAF – Melbourne – Christine Abrahams Gallery
Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney
1997: Australian Ceramics Exhibition – Galerie Handwerk, Munich.
Aurora – Pakistan : Karachi, Islamabad
Fletcher Challenge Ceramics Award, Auckland, New Zealand.
Alice Craft Acquisition Award, Northern Territory
Savode Gallery, Brisbane.
Aurora – Bangladesh: Dakka.
Australian Ceramics Exhibition – Kunstgewerbemuseum- Dresden.
1996: Australia Day Exhibition, Shepparton Art Gallery.
The Vessel, Canberra School of Art Gallery.
International Connections, Canberra.
Savode Gallery, Brisbane.
Stillness, Craft Council, ACT.
Postpack exhibition, Canberra School of Art.
Alpha House Gallery, UK.
Aurora -Seoul Arts Centre, Korea.
Fletcher Challenge Ceramics Award, Auckland, New Zealand.
1995: ‘The Bowl’ – Savode Gallery, Brisbane.
Mornington Peninsula Craft Event.
Bathurst Art Purchase.
Fletcher Challenge Ceramics Award.
Nillumbik Art Award.
15th National Craft Acquisition Award Northern Territory.
Mino International Ceramics Festival, Mino, Japan.
Lauraine Diggins – Australian Decorative Arts Survey.
1994: Mornington Peninsula Arts Centre.
Ether Ohnetitel, Craft Collectors Circle.
Colin and Cecily Rigg Award, National Gallery of Victoria.
The Bowled and the Beautiful, Perth.
Austceram Art Award.
Contemporary Applied Arts, London.
1992: Contemporary Applied Arts, London, Summer Show.
Jennings Award, Meat Market Craft Centre.
‘The Market, Kitch and Cultural Production, Craft Victoria.
Mino International Ceramics Festival, Mino, Japan.
1991: Australia Day Exhibition, Shepparton Art Gallery.
`ASPECTS’ – RMIT Gallery, Melbourne.
1984 – 1989 Seven Dials Gallery, London; Kings Circus Gallery, Bath.
Strangeways, London; Long Street Gallery, Tetbury.
Sir John Cass College of Art, London;
Royal Festival Hall, London; Southwark Cathedral, London.
Fenny Lodge Gallery, Milton Keynes, UK.
Direct Design Show, London; British Crafts Centre.
Nexus Gallery, Brighton; Stafford Art Gallery, Staffordshire.
Contemporary Applied Arts, London.
Crafts Fair, Chelsea -selected exhibitor, Crafts Council UK.
The Tent, Edinburgh Festival; Terrace Gallery, Worthing
Creative Eye, London – Crafts Council.
The Harrow Connection – touring England, Scotland and Ireland – Northern
Contemporary Arts, Crafts Council UK.
SMB Art Staff Exhibition – Ballarat Fine Art Gallery.
Teaching and related Experience:
2017
Claypool, Sydney
Private mentorships and apprentice supervision
Pottery Workshop, Jingdezhen, China
Pottery Workshop, Shanghai, China
2012-present Slow Clay Centre, Melbourne,
Private mentorships and apprentice supervision
2013 lecture, Manning Clarke House, Canberra
2012 Presenter, Subversive clay on education, Adelaide
2011 Presenter, Red Conference on Collaboration, COFA, NSW
Keynote speaker. Ceramics Festival. Alice Springs, NT
Judge, Vitrify 2012 – Alcorso National Ceramics Competition
2010 -2012 Creative Director (Part Time), Ceramics Studio, Jam Factory Contemporary Craft and Design, Adelaide
- Seminar and Workshop of International Cultural Creative Industry
Craft, Material and Innovation National Taiwan University of Arts. Lecturer and workshop leader.
Lecture and tutorials, Graduate Institute of Applied Arts, Tainan National College of the Arts, Tainan, Taiwan.
- Ceramics Coordinator, Senior Lecturer, RMIT University (0.5 time fraction)
Konkuk University, Seoul, Korea
Sydney University
National Art School, Sydney
Object Gallery, Sydney
- Ceramics Coordinator, Senior Lecturer, RMIT University (0.5 time fraction)
Royal College of Art, London
Artist Talk, NGV International, Under the Influence – Gwyn Hanssen Pigott
2005 Lecture University of the Third Age
2004 Lecture Artists in conversation, CAE Melbourne
- Konstfack School of Art and Design, Stockholm, Sweden
University of Westminster, London, UK
Royal College of Art, London, UK
Bath University, London, UK
Guldagergaard Ceramics Centre, Denmark
2002 Lecture, Ballarat Fine Art Gallery
2000 Lecturer, Monash University – Ceramics
1999 Lecture – Artists talk about inspiration – Sixth Australian Contemporary Art Fair
1999 Masters assessment, Monash University
Workshop – The Persuasive Object – Unitec – Auckland, New Zealand
Lecture – Amalgamated Arts Ballarat – Development of my work
Lecture – Australian Contemporary Art Fair – ‘On Inspiration’
1997 Lecturer School of Fine Art, Lahore, Pakistan
1993 – 1996 Lecturer, Melbourne University – Ceramics, Education;
1993 – 2007 Lecturer, R.M.I.T. – Fine Art – Ceramics.
Festival in Ceramics – Victorian Ceramic Group
International Workshop, Canberra School of Art, ACT
1991 – 1993 External Examiner, Melbourne University Institute of Education, Ceramics.
1989 – 1993 Teacher in Ceramics, (0.6 time)-School of Mines and Industries, Ballarat.
Visiting lecturer: RMIT, Fine Art – Ceramics; RMIT, Ceramics Summer School; Melb. Univ. Inst. of Education;
Victoria College; Ballarat Ceramic Group; Geelong Ceramics Group.
1984-1989: Guest Lecturer – Harrow College of Higher Education -Studio Pottery Course, London.
1979-1989: Inner London Education Authority – pottery classes for children and adults.
Curating:
2015 Welcome to Table, Castlemaine Arts Festival
2013 Australian Ceramics Exhibition, Moss Green Gallery, Melbourne
2012 Directors Choice, Gallery 2, JamFactory Contemporary Craft and Design, SA
2009 Tablewares, an International Collection, Rex Irwin Art Dealer, Sydney
2006 Celebration, Manly Art Gallery, Sydney
Judge:
Alcorso Award 2012
Trudie Alfred Bequest Scholarship 2012
Residencies:
2016 Pottery workshop, Jingdezhen, China
2012 Pottery workshop, Jingdezhen, China
2013 Pottery workshop, Jingdezhen, China
Writing practice:
2016 Special Judges Award entry for ‘Willis Company Restaurants’ – Australia Chinese Business Awards, Shanghai, China
2013 Goldmark Art, UK – Takeshi Yasuda catalogue essay
Crawling Through Mud, Exhibition review, Shepparton Art Museum, Australian Journal of Ceramics
2012 Samstag Museum, SA – Khaki Liew and Bruce Nuske Irrational and Idiosyncratic furniture, catalogue essay
1989 – 2016 Numerous articles for Australian Ceramics Journal, Pottery in Australia,
Ceramic Review, UK; Ceramics Art and Perception.
Numerous grant applications for individuals and institutions to Australia Council, Arts Victoria and Arts SA.
Employment applications and coaching for individuals
1981-1989 Editor, Directory of Scientific Research Institutes, Longmans, London
Occasional editing, Methuen, London
Selected articles and reviews:
Featured artist, Radio National The Makers with Julie Copeland
Featured artist, Radio National Drive time with Virgina Trioli.
Adelaide Advertiser; Craft magazine (UK); Melbourne Age; Irish Times, Dublin (Eire); New Zealand Herald; Progress Press; New Zealand Potter;
Pottery in Australia – Volume 34 Number 3 – Spring 1995 – Transcending Place and Time by Kevin White – pp7 – 9.
Ceramics Art and Perception – Issue 21 – 1995 – Life and Structure- by Alison Britton – pp69 -71;
Pottery in Australia – Volume 35 Number 3 – Spring 1996 -Throwing and joining porcelain – Karen Weiss
Object Magazine; Belle Magazine; Vogue Living
Functional Philosophy Jane Sawyer Ceramics – Pottery in Australia – Volume 34 Number 3 – Spring 1995 – pp18 – 19.
Exhibition of New Work at Studio COM, Kyoto – report – Craft Victoria Bulletin, No. 1, 1997.
Ceramic Review: May/June 1998 – Article by Alison Britton
Ceramics Monthly Magazine (USA)
Pottery in Australia, Article 2001
Pottery in Australia, Article 2002 – teapot and cup
Hermanns Award Article 2001;
New York Times review 2002